Just a short note... these are the cream of the crop (as far as I am concerned) of the realm of speculative fiction. If you haven't read Neal Stephenson's work in the past, you are missing out. His view of the future of technology is brilliantly realized in The Diamond Age and Snow Crash, But with Cryptonomicon, he leaps between WWII & current events, and achieves an even greater sense of realism. This is the perfect introduction to a writer who exudes strong talent. ~prairiewolf~